New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-09-03
: ". L. SCOTT ON HARMONY.
IT WAS NOT RANDALLs CONVENTION.
TEE CONGRESSMAN FROM ERIE SAYS THAT EVERY


TIE CONGRESSMAN FROM ERIE SAYS THAT EVERY
ONE WAS SATISFIED.
Congressman w. L. Scott, who arrived at the Fifth
Avenue Hotel Thursday from the Democratic Stat"
about the retorted engagements there among tuo
Democratic brethren. aud he replied:
There really very little difference OF OPINION
between the varicns factions composing TIE conVen-
ton. In the 6rst place. factions realized the neres-
sity and all we're in favor OF Joueh ENDORSEMENT
of the Administration and its polly. The fight
manly appeared to be who should frame the resou-
t,ous in accordance With this pol,cy. Whatever
differences existed, therefore, practic lily amounted
to nothing. Mr.. Randall had drawn resolution IN
dors,ng the Administration, and in regari to the
,ariA The element in Pennsylvania, who, strictly
speskng, more tariff reiormers than anything
else, had suggested thu language of President Ceve
land in OF his annual messages in regard to the
duties imports proper basis for this plank IN
the platform. Each faction naturally desired to bave
lite formu ated Dank IN the platform. So tar as was
concerned. cared nothing about the form, or who
DIRE ii, as long the substance was right desired
particularly to AVOID any fight in the convention.
When there likely 10 Oe fight, my effort
was in the direction Of securing harmony The only
possible difference the question OF the method
Of reducing Federal taxation Mr. Randall's rec u-
tvp favored reduction of taxation, without express
ing whether il should be by cutting down internal
revenue reducing the duties on imports.
aAs the Committee on Resolutions made up of me
frou each Senate district bad imposed upon the dut
Of formulating this platform. it was naturally to he
supposed that the invention would adopt whatever
they reported. i Was unanimously elected chairman
of that committee without my solicitation. As chair
man, had the ma nng OF the snbcoIumittee to draft
and re- port platform to the tull committee 1t will
not be supposed that appointed committee adverse
TO my own views. At the .ama tim had NO disp0-
sition 10 appoint committee that those who differed
from me could reasonably obe to. l therefore ap-
poined Samuel j. Randall as chairman OF the sub
with S M Rs and Mr. a Ms S
friends ne OIL ers OF til, committee were Congress-
man John B. Storm who voted with me tor the con-
sideration OF the Morrison BILL and j. L. Neal Sem
ate delegate my own district. was myself OK
ofHcio a men. Der Of the sub committee waich thus
stood three aud three If we had drawn the resoiu-
tion which Mr. Randall had written In regard to the
Admins and enectng the reduction OF the sur
plus do not see how We could have made it more
sa.isfactory to ourselves than IL None OF the
comuit-e were in favor of free trade. ALI believed
in reduction of taxation as necessary The resou-
tion drawn by Mr. Randall certainly Endorsed the
Administration and its policy ss FULLY az language
eouId do so. Mr. Randalps resolution as drawn was
changed very little. portion Of IT was lett oct:
The only add ions made were proposed by myself and
inserted in the language proposed by me- Mr.. Ran
dell had used the word taxation iu speaking OF the
reduction OF taxes As many OF those mt OF Mr. Ran
dalls way of thinking desired that this should be
more definite tie substitution was wise ana die
Greet reduction of internal revenue taxation aud
duties IMPORTS which Mr. Randall readily &C.
copied and did not ooiect to In any way.
ave all believe that reduction of taxation must
be made not only by duties on imports, but also by
reduction OF the internal revenue collections. Ii was
well enough to say de6nely what believed ought
to be done. II was not a victory for Mr.. Randall,
or myself, or body else 1t simply coming TO
q com non un,lers. landing. Mr. Randall showed
every disposition treat the matter fairly and hon
oraby 1t will be observed that the resolutions are
very emphatic in regard to immediate reduction of
taxation. The tariff resolution declares smpn atcay
for immediate reduction both the import duties and
internal revenue. II this language can mean any
thing al all it certainly must mean the approval OF
those Democratic members OF Congress from Penn
svlvana no voted for consideration OF the Morrison
bill not tor what was in the h bnt to take up the
whole subject of reduction for consideration 1t GER
tainly was not Raudalls convention or anybody eses
convention. 1t was purely Democratic convention
seeking TO arrive the hest possible results after con-
sultalion aud deiiberation. Toe resolutions as
adopted were fully satisfactory to Mr. Randalls bit
terest opponents 10 the party in Pennsylvania men
like Cassidy Sngerly, Mech and oil ers-and equa ~
90 to himself As the best evidence that 1t was no.
body's convention, j. Ross Thompson OF my own citv,
was nom mated for Supreme Court Judge, as the
CHOICE of the party the iavorte nj the Pbilade
phia people Only five out OF siAty-seven Philadei-
phIa delegate. voted for Mr.. Thomson and he was
presented in the convention by myself.
Whom will you nominate in 1oSoP
"Cleveland, OF course"
"Will your National tariff plank in 1888 be similar
to that of Pennsylvana."
q hone